The annual Cruzin’ for a Cause took place June 10 and raised $620.00 for the Jason’s Friends Foundation. Jason’s Friends Foundation is a non-profit organization based in Casper Wyoming. The foundation is named for Jason Eades who passed away at the age of nine after a short battle with a brain stem tumor. His family wanted Jason’s memory to live on and formed Jason’s Friends Foundation. Jason’s Friends assists families with children who have been diagnosed with childhood cancer or brain/spinal cord tumors across the state of Wyoming. Children twenty and under qualify and the organization helps the family with non-medical costs that can get pushed to the back burner when helping your child fight for their life. Costs that Jason’s Friends helps with include travel expenses, food, lodging, gas, household bills, mortgage, phone and others items. 

The cruz began at Body Builders Body Shop and took those involved around the county and to surrounding towns. The idea was to collect five different lottery tickets that the numbers could be used from. Those who didn’t want to cruz could purchase lottery tickets locally and use the numbers. Once back in town, a barbeque was held at Body Builders followed by a buy-in BINGO like game of Cruzin using the lottery ticket numbers. Door prizes were handed out throughout the night as well. The main prize was fifty percent of the buy-in pot. Winner of the game was Neil Holmes. A second buy-in game was played with the same prize and winner was Lori Doyle. Donations were also taken and both Sheila Boldon and Andy Robinson spoke about the Jason’s Friends Foundation. Boldon, who was a volunteer for the foundation’s annual BOWL while she lived in Casper, talked about her experience and how the foundation works. Robinson spoke about a child he met during a work training that he later learned was a Jason’s Friends recipient. Of the child, Robinson said anytime he saw him, he always had a smile on his face.